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Force multiplier: PSIM leverages video surveillance networks in Baltimore
Connecting state and local government leaders
With thousands of cameras providing round-the-clock surveillance of Baltimore, the CitiWatch surveillance program turned to a video analysis platform from VidSys to help make sense of all of the data.
Baltimore's CitiWatch video surveillance program has expanded over the past eight years from an initial installation of 50 standalone cameras to more than 600 networked closed-circuit cameras, which provide live video feeds around the clock. In addition, the program has access to about a thousand additional cameras operated by more than 50 federal, state, city and private organizations.
"Our mission is to make sure the crime doesn't occur," said Lt. Sam Hood, CitiWatch's director of law enforcement operations for Baltimore Police Department. "We proactively watch our cameras."
By using GIS crime mapping data to identify hot spots and watching for telltale signs of trouble before they are reported by a call to 911, "we can probably stop a situation before it occurs," he said.
"This is a force multiplier," Hood said. The addition of technology to the system has made it more cost-effective as it has expanded. The cost to operate the entire system today is less than the cost of managing and retrieving video recordings from the initial 50 pod cameras in 2005, Hood said.
A major challenge in such a mission is making sense of the large volumes of data generated by these networks. It can be hard to keep your eye on the ball when there are hundreds of balls in play at a time. Training and experience helps. CitiWatch primarily uses retired police officers to monitor camera feeds and communicate with cops on the streets. But the glue that holds the system together is a Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) system from VidSys that integrates feeds from disparate legacy networks and then analyzes and correlates the data.
"We're all in one common operating picture," Hood said. The different organizations each retain control of their own assets, but "we're able to access each other's information."
PSIM is a broad term that means different things to different people. Although it focuses on physical security rather than cybersecurity, the two domains can be integrated, and PSIM ultimately relies on information technology to bring everything together.
"It is software technology that converts data into useful information," said James Chong, VidSys founder and CTO. "That is the essence of PSIM."
Running on a server in the CitiWatch command center, the VidShield component of the system standardizes incoming data and the RiskShield software analyzes it according to policies set by the owner, organizing events according to type and geographic location to identify incidents that might require police attention. Incidents are displayed on a browser-based dashboard, called a situation summary page, which can include links to standard response procedures and allow automatic or manual control of video feeds to follow the action.
By relying on policies for evaluating events according to rules set by the user rather than dealing with a raw video stream, a single VidSys PSIM server can support a large client architecture, Chong said. "We don't do the heavy lifting until a criterion is met," he said.
CitiWatch began in 2005 under then-mayor Martin O'Malley (now Maryland governor) with 50 un-networked camera pods, each with its own digital recorder. Although used for law enforcement and staffed in part by police, CitiWatch is a separate public-private partnership and not a part of the police department. It is funded in part by the Homeland Security Department and also with city and private funds. This structure makes it easier to incorporate non-city data sources, some owned by private organizations, and also helps to isolate liability in the event of lawsuits alleging privacy violations or other missteps.
There was no real-time monitoring when the initial cameras were installed. Video recordings were retrieved from the cameras for investigation after an incident. The system grew, and by 2007 the city began networking its closed-circuit cameras to allow monitoring. Crime in areas monitored by video dropped by 25 percent, said Hood.
"We've been putting in cameras all the time," Hood said. An additional 200 closed-circuit cameras were installed in 2012, and the CitiWatch system now incorporates 635, using the DVTEL video management system.
CitiWatch also has access to 597 cameras from the Maryland State Highway Administration, 140 owned by the Baltimore City Department of Transportation as well as others operated by the Baltimore Metropolitan Transit Authority; the Maryland Transit Administration, which runs the city's subway, light rail and bus systems; and a host of federal and local agencies operating in the city.
These systems are owned and operated independently of each other and are not standardized. The CitiWatch cameras, for instance, operate at a rate of from 15 to 30 frames per second while some others run as slow as five frames per second. The need to get a common view from this disparate collection led to the adoption of a PSIM system in 2010.
"We wanted someone who could leverage and integrate legacy systems," Hood said.
VidSys filters data according to time, location, duration, frequency and type to determine significance. A geospatial engine and a policy engine lets users define the parameters for defining an incident, based on the alerts and other information a camera or other sensor sends. A single alarm or activity caught on camera might not be significant by itself. But when coupled with other information from the same or nearby locations at the same time they could trigger an alert on the situation summary page, warning the person minding the monitor as to what appears to be happening while identifying other cameras or sensors in the area and providing an action plan.
Despite the large amounts of data produced by the video, scaling is not a problem for VidSys. It relies on the intelligence built into the video systems for recognizing events that have been defined by users. The VidSys system looks at and correlates these events rather than raw video data.
"The PSIM sits on top of all of these systems, it doesn't replace them," Chong said. "We're handling a lot less data than many of the subsystems would on their own."
This means an organization that already has its sensor systems in place also has put in the necessary infrastructure. "The big infrastructure challenge is on the video side," Chong said. "Video is a bandwidth hog."
The VidSys PSIM not only is used for day-to-day public safety operations in Baltimore, but also provides a platform for securing special events, such as the Grand Prix of Baltimore at which the system was field tested in September 2011. Other major events where it has been used include the Preakness and commemorative events for the War of 1812 bicentennial.


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Date: November 3, 2011
Receipt Date: February
3, 2012
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
The growing threat of nuclear terrorism has highlighted the need for research and development of medical countermeasures (MCMs) to treat and/or mitigate injuries in the U.S. civilian population following a radiation incident. Individuals in the vicinity of the detonation of an improvised nuclear device (IND) could potentially be exposed to gamma irradiation (for which mechanisms of injury and expected medical effects are currently being researched and elucidated), and to mixed-field radiation (containing both neutron and gamma components). One possible scenario for an IND includes a detonation using highly enriched uranium, which produces significant neutron and gamma radiation components1. In such a scenario, depending on the individual's position relative to the detonation, the prompt exposure could be mixed-field radiation. There are currently no medical countermeasures approved by FDA for the post-exposure treatment or mitigation of radiation injury. In addition, rapid identification of exposed individuals requiring treatment has not yet been achieved. There is, therefore, a need to evaluate and understand the specific injuries and mechanisms of injuries unique to mixed field radiation exposure; to develop medical countermeasures to treat and/or mitigate mixed field exposure injuries; and to develop methods and devices to identify individuals exposed to mixed field radiation. Through this Request for Information (RFI), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Radiation/Nuclear Countermeasures Program seeks information on the state of science in MCM development, biodosimetry techniques, and animal model development with regard to exposure to mixed-field radiation. There is also interest in the medical effects of, and appropriate biodosimetry for mixed-field radiation exposure in special populations such as children, the elderly, pregnant and lactating women and immuno-compromised individuals. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will use the information obtained in response to this RFI to 1) develop recommendations for future research funding, 2) obtain a better understanding of the biological responses to neutron exposure, 3) encourage the development of biodosimetry devices to rapidly and accurately triage populations exposed to mixed-field irradiation, and 4) encourage research on effective and safe radiation MCMs for mixed-field exposures.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is charged with protecting the civilian population by providing leadership in research, development, acquisition, deployment, and use of effective MCM for Weapons of Mass Destruction. The HHS Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise Implementation Plan for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Threats (HHS PHEMCE Implementation Plan) 2 provides a blueprint for all of its MCM-related activities, from research and development, to acquisition, storage, deployment and utilization. Among the top priorities identified by the HHS PHEMCE Implementation Plan are MCMs against radiological and nuclear threats. The NIAID, NIH has been tasked to develop and manage a comprehensive research and early to mid-stage product development program focused on medical therapies and diagnostics, as set by NIH Strategic Plan and Research Agenda for Medical Countermeasures against Radiological and Nuclear Threats3.
It has been estimated that following a 10 kiloton nuclear detonation, a significant number of people would be exposed to prompt radiation (and possibly mixed neutron and gamma fields) within about 0.5 miles of the site of detonation4. The ratio of neutron to gamma radiation exposure could vary due to shielding of the body, distance from the blast and type of weapon used. Individuals close to the blast may experience injuries that will be immediately obvious (e.g. burns, wounds, fractures, and trauma), while others may experience a more slowly-evolving illness, developing over weeks, months or even years following the incident. Currently, most Radiation/Nuclear MCM research focuses on the detection and treatment/mitigation of injuries resulting from exposure to gamma radiation and little is known about the biological responses to mixed-field radiation exposures. For example, some data indicate that sepsis that follows radiation injury differs between animals that have been irradiated with pure gamma versus mixed-field radiation5, and other, large animal studies find that lethality, as well as other clinical manifestations following neutron-gamma exposures are different from those of gamma exposure alone6. In order to effectively treat individuals who have been exposed to mixed-field radiation, it is critical to first understand more about how biological responses to mixed-field exposures differ from exposures to gamma radiation alone. Neutrons have different mechanisms of injury than gamma photons, causing more complex DNA damage which is more difficult to repair. This results in a higher relative biological effectiveness (RBE) for neutrons over gamma radiation7. These mechanistic differences may also alter the efficacy of medical countermeasures for neutron radiation-exposed individuals. Beyond the molecular level, rapidly proliferating cell-renewal systems are most vulnerable to neutron radiation injury, resulting in acute radiation syndromes, such as gastrointestinal and hematopoietic injuries. Because little recent work has been done on the effects of mixed-field radiation exposure, much work, including the most basic research into biological responses, injury/repair, biodosimetry and countermeasure development are needed. NIAID is interested in the following research areas of mixed-field radiation exposure:
1. Post-exposure mitigator/therapeutic drugs for mixed field injury (administered at least 24 hours after exposure)
2. Mechanisms of mixed field radiation injury and host signal transduction and repair responses;
3. High-throughput drug-screening assays to identify mitigators and radiotherapeutics for mixed-field injury;
4. Small and large animal model development for mixed-field exposure, for potential Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensure via the Animal Rule8;
5. Automated, biology-based diagnostic assays/devices specific for rapid, accurate and non-invasive measurement of mixed-field (gamma and neutron) radiation exposure and injury;
6. Predictive, organ-specific biodosimetry specific to mixed-field exposure
7. Radiation combined injury (ie. mixed field radiation exposure plus other trauma)
8. Research into the early and late effects resulting from exposures to mixed-field radiation (e.g. lung, skin, kidney, cardiovascular, central nervous system complications); and
9. Radiation responses and MCM efficacy in special populations that have been exposed to mixed-field irradiation (e.g. pediatrics, geriatric, and/or immuno-compromised individuals).
This RFI is for planning purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation for applications or as an obligation on the part of the Government to provide support for any identified opportunities. Please note that the Government will not pay for response preparation or the use of any information contained therein. Responses to this RFI are voluntary. Acknowledgement of receipt of responses will not be made. No basis for claims against the NIAID shall arise as a result of a response to this request for information or the NIAID's use of such information as either part of our evaluation process or in developing specifications for any subsequent announcement. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s). As previously indicated, the NIAID may use the information gathered to develop grant, contract, or other funding initiatives pending availability of funds. Any proprietary information should be so marked.
1. Garwin RL. A Nuclear Explosion in a City or an Attack on a Nuclear Reactor. The Bridge. Summer 2010; 40(2):20 27
2. http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-1983.pdf (Accessed 07/25/11)
3. http://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/whoWeAre/Documents/radnucstrategicplan.pdf (Accessed 07/25/11)
4. Tenforde TS, Schauer DA, Goans RE, Mettler Jr. FA, Pellmar TC, Poston Sr. JW, and Taylor TP Health Aspects of a Nuclear or Radiological Attack. The Bridge. Summer 2010; 40(2): 50-57.
5. Elliott TB, Ledney GD, Harding RA, Henderson PL, Gerstenberg HM, Rotruck JR, Verdolin MH, Stille CM, Krieger AG. Mixed-field neutrons and gamma photons induce different changes in ileal bacteria and correlated sepsis in mice. Int J Radiat Biol. 1995 Sep;68(3):311-20.
6. Kuhn, US, Kyner, RE, Brown, DG. Response of Burros to Mixed Neutron and Gamma Irradiation. J. Radiat. Res., 1964 Sep;23(1):78-93.
7. Ward, JF. The complexity of DNA damage: relevance to biological consequences. Int J Radiat Biol. 1994 April; 66:427-432.
8.http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?cfrpart=314&showfr=1&subpartnode=21:188.8.131.52. .9 (Accessed 07/25/11)
Information must be submitted by February 3, 2012. Responses should be limited to 10 pages and marked with this RFI identifier (NOT-AI-12-015). Responses are preferred in electronic format and can be e-mailed to the attention of:
Ms. Mai-Kim Norman, MS
Public Health Analyst, DAIT, NIAID, NIH, DHHS
6610 Rockledge Drive, Room 5304
Bethesda, MD 20892-7612
Phone: 30-451-3133
Fax: 301-480-6597
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Jessica Simpson Adopted Vegan Diet to Prepare for Her Wedding
Newlywed Jessica Simpson shed a few extra pounds in the lead-up to her weekend wedding by adopting a strict vegan diet.
The blonde beauty has been showing off a slimmer figure in recent months after losing the pregnancy pounds from carrying her second child, son Ace, last year with the help of a food plan from Weight Watchers, for which she is a spokeswoman.
However, Simpson wanted to make sure she looked her absolute best when she exchanged vows with former American footballer Eric Johnson in California on Saturday, so she temporarily cut out all animal products from her diet.
A source tells UsMagazine.com, "Jessica did a vegan diet for about two weeks leading up to the wedding."
The newlywed also reportedly boosted her vitamin levels by getting "quite a few" B12 shots to help maintain a healthy brain and nervous system.
Simpson has since returned to her meat-eating ways – at a pre-wedding Independence Day bash on Friday, guests were treated to a feast of beef brisket, smoked barbecue baby back ribs, fried chicken and grilled shrimp, as well as a variety of pies and watermelon.
Simpson isn't the first superstar to go vegan – Jennifer Lopez recently adopted the plant-based diet to get her in tip-top shape for the release of her new album AKA, while Beyonce and her rapper husband Jay Z also tried a 22-day vegan challenge last year.
Photo Credit: Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com


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Dressed in warm clothes and a snappy scarlet red neck scarf, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords hobbled up to the podium, pinned her weak right hand to her heart with her good left hand, and fearlessly and flawlessly led the Pledge of Allegiance during a vigil at the University of Arizona on Sunday night.
The evening vigil marked the end of a long renewal-themed weekend in Tucson that began on Saturday, at a chilly sunrise meditation at the base of mauve-tinted desert mountains overlooking the city. White-clad dancers wound through a large maze to the beat of drums, chants, rattles, and a Tibetan bowl, recognizing the first anniversary of what Tucsonans now refer to as "the Event," a shooting massacre allegedly perpetrated by a seriously mentally ill man in front of a Safeway store. In 16 seconds, 13 were injured, including Giffords, who was shot through the head, and six others were killed, including a little girl, a judge, and a beloved Giffords aide named Gabe Zimmerman.
Ross Zimmerman, Gabe's father, a blue-eyed, gray-haired 59-year-old ultra-marathoner, told me after the ceremony that "reaching out to others" and exercise has helped him cope with the loss of his son. Ross Zimmerman is widely recognized as the visionary behind Tucson's weekend of meditative walks, hikes, runs, bike rides, ringing bells, and artistic performances to commemorate renewal after the shootings. His mantra, "Let's keep moving forward, shall we?" infused the weekend.
The weekend focused on healing and victims, but two victims who needed healing were noticeably absent—the parents of the alleged shooter were not included in the events.
Giffords, a close friend of Zimmerman, had flown in from Houston, where she is undergoing intensive rehabilitative therapy, for the weekend. Giffords' political future is far from settled, but on Saturday, she surprised constituents with a visit to the Safeway to view a memorial and a short walk on a desert trail dedicated to Gabe Zimmerman.
Around the office, Gabe Zimmerman's calming demeanor with constituents had earned him the nickname "Constituent Whisperer."
But its likely that not even Gabe Zimmerman could have calmed Jared Lee Loughner, the alleged killer whose descent into madness during a season of hate in Arizona was chronicled by paranoid, lonely Internet postings about grammar and the gold standard.
After the shootings, Loughner was diagnosed with schizophrenia and found mentally incompetent to stand trial for the bloodbath. He now sits in a federal facility in Missouri, where he is being forcibly and controversially medicated in order to be restored to sufficient sanity to attend a trial where he may face the death penalty. His lawyer, Judy Clarke, has launched a fierce, ongoing, and so far futile battle in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to force the feds to stop the meds. (She did not return my call seeking comment for this story.) It's unlikely a trial will take place this year.
Loughner, who was 22 at the time of the shootings, is the only son of Amy and Randy Loughner, who underwent intense media scrutiny in the days following the shooting spree. Hadn't the Loughners seen Jared's deterioration? Why didn't they do something?
After the massacre, neighbors only served to fuel suspicion. They told reporters Randy was an unpleasant loner who railed at them for messy yards and worked on old cars; Amy was a nice woman who worked at a county park and kept to herself; Jared was a weirdly unresponsive guy who wore hoodies—even in the hot summer. Except for a press release (issued shortly after the shootings) expressing sympathy for the victims, Jared Loughner's parents did not grant a single press interview and have lived in apparent seclusion.
A year later, key questions about whether the Loughners sought treatment for Jared remain unanswered.
But during his son's court appearances, Randy sometimes wept.
The Loughners were not seen at this weekend's festivities in Tucson, although they still live in the same hilly working class neighborhood where they raised their only son in a 1,400 square foot house sealed off from the world with desert plants.
The home now has a new locked metal mailbox decorated with an intricate metal hummingbird and scorpion. Early on Sunday morning, in preparation for a community bell ringing at the time of the shootings, some stranger had hung small bells on the Loughners' mailbox. But as bells pealed throughout the city at 10:11 a.m., the time of the shootings, not a single bell rang out on the street where Jared Loughner grew up. I couldn't tell if anyone was home—a large mesquite tree and dozens of cacti and succulents still block any view into the home. The back of the property is barricaded by a tall block wall. No one answered the door.
"You don't want to talk to him," one neighbor, who refused to give his name, told me. Several neighbors who talked to reporters a year ago now refused comment, and one neighbor hinted they'd been gagged: "You gotta understand, we have to live with him."
The faith community has "reached out" to the Loughners, Rick Griebel, chaplain of the Northwest Bible Church, told me. But the Loughners seem "embarrassed" and have not responded to overtures, as far as he knows.
Pete Earley, a former Washington Post reporter and bestselling author who chronicled his struggles to get help for his seriously mentally ill adult son in the book Crazy: A Father's Search Through America's Mental Health Madness, told me in a telephone interview that when he first heard of the Tucson shootings, he figured it would be "another case where people will blame parents." He remembers reading that Randy once chased Jared down the street, which reminded him of the time he chased his son, Mike, after he'd jumped out of the car. "My heart went out to the parents," he said.
And while no one knows whether Randy and Amy Loughner tried to convince Jared to seek psychiatric help, Jared was over 18 and legally an adult when the schizophrenia apparently took hold. If he didn't want treatment, he couldn't be forcibly treated unless officials determined he was a danger to himself or others. And danger to oneself or others is hard to prove until it happens, Earley said.
Prior to the shootings, Jared Loughner had a few very minor scrapes with the law, and was kicked out of Pima Community College for bizarre behavior. The college reportedly wrote the parents a letter recommending that he seek treatment, but the Loughners still couldn't force their adult son to get help if he didn't want it, and could not have him committed unless he was determined to be a danger to himself or others.
It's not as simple, Earley explained, as "why didn't you do something?" Often parents who try to convince an adult son or daughter to get treatment might only end up irritating and alienating the mentally ill person they want to help.
It's not known whether Loughner was insured. But if he had no insurance, he might have met another roadblock: Behavioral health services for the poor in Arizona have been severely curtailed due to a series of annual budget woes.
When she served in the Arizona Legislature from 2000 to 2005, Giffords was an outspoken advocate for treatment of the seriously mentally ill, said her district director Ron Barber.
Barber, a former director of the division of developmental disabilities of the Arizona Department of Economic Security, met Giffords because he advocated for people with behavioral health issues. He was shot twice during the Safeway massacre, but recovered, and noted the "irony of me being shot by a mentally ill person."
In Congress, he said, Giffords has had a "strong commitment" to fund treatment for people suffering from mental illness, and her office worked hard to insert mental health coverage into health insurance policies.
"What happened on Jan. 8 and what happened afterwards show the true face of problems confronting the mentally ill," he told me. "I can only imagine the agony the parents are going through."
Pam Simon, another Giffords staffer who was shot twice but also recovered from her wounds, told me she thinks often about Loughner's parents because there is "no hell worse than what they are going through…they didn't ask to have a mentally ill child."
"From the beginning" she's wondered how Loughner's parents are faring. She was bolstered a bit, after the shooting, when a florist told her he'd delivered flowers to Loughner's parents. At least someone reached out to them.
Ross Zimmerman told me he's "keenly aware of how horrible it is to lose a child."
"And frankly," he added, "the Loughners have lost Jared. And it's not their fault. I'm sure they are in hell."
The Loughners haven't reached out to him, but if he could, he'd tell them: "I'm not angry at your son. I'm not angry at you."
He'd rather Jared get treatment and be kept in a place where he would not endanger himself or others. He doesn't support the death penalty. Neither did Gabe.
"I have no interest in killing one person because he killed another person," Zimmerman said.
And at the evening vigil at the U of A, that sense of renewal and forgiveness carried into the words of Giffords's astronaut husband Mark Kelly, who told the crowd that with more available mental health services and treatment, "We might not be here today." And then Kelly returned to his seat and Gabby Giffords, smiling and nodding and clutching his hand, celebrated being alive.


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Rangemaster Elise 100 Induction Cooker
The ultimate range for cooking up delicious cuisine, the quintessential Elise is inspired by generations of gourmet excellence.
Awaken your inner gastronome with the Elise range cooker, which is inspired by the passion and panache that ensures European chefs are revered worldwide. One glance at this chic range cooker is all its takes to identify its distinctly continental design direction. From the stylish controls, to the coordinating brushed chrome trim that lends front profile definition, a continental flair for sophisticated design is evident throughout.
- A rated ovens giving the best possible energy efficiency
- Multifunction oven, allows food to be cooked to perfection by selecting the correct function for the food
- Induction hob, for truly flexible and responsive cooking with "hot hob" indicators and child lock feature for added safety
- Handyrack, adjustable rack attached to oven door making it easy to tend to roasts
- Catalytic liners, the cook clean liners absorb fat and steam during cooking, and release these deposits to the base when above 200˚C, ensuring that the oven is kept as clean as possible with the minimum effort
- The Elise 100 Induction won Best Kitchen and Household Product at the House Beautiful Awards 2013
- New Catch-rite™ door fixture - All doors are now fitted with the new all stainless steel door catch. A superior mechanism that under testing shows longevity of over 50 years
- Nite-Lite™ - After 10pm our clock will automatically dim leaving a softer light in your kitchen during the night
- All Rangemaster range cookers have Steadfast™ pan supports as standard. Eliminating wobble and potential spills, Steadfast™ is only available on Rangemaster
- All our induction models offer SpillGuard™ technology. SpillGuard™ ensures accidental spills are contained within the hob for easy cleaning
- Smart, intelligent and ultra efficient; the new i5™ Induction is now available across all models and variants
- Unpacked Dimensions
- Height to hotplate 910-930
- Width (mm) 994
- Depth excl. handles (mm) 595
- Cooker Details
- Fuel type Electric
- Door Type Solid
- Energy efficient rating A
- Handyrack Yes
- Sizes available 110, 100
- General Hotplate
- No. of burners 5
- Ratings (KW)
- Rating 1 1.15-2.00kW
- Rating 2 1.85-2.50kW
- Rating 3 1.85kW-3.00kW
- Rating 4 1.85-2.50kW
- Rating 5 1.15-2.00kW
- Total hob rating @230v 7.4 kW
- Max. Elec load @230v 14.8kW
- Grill Type
- Dual circuit glide-out grill Yes
- Grill power rating (KW) 2.3kW
- Ovens
- Multi-glazed doors Yes
- Left Hand Oven Default
- Left hand oven light Yes
- Left hand oven no of functions 7
- Left hand oven type Multifunction
- Left Hand Oven Multifunction options
- Left hand oven base heat Yes
- Left hand oven browning Yes
- Left hand oven conventional Yes
- Left hand oven defrost Yes
- Left hand oven fan assisted Yes
- Left hand oven fanned Yes
- Left hand oven fanned grill Yes
- Left hand Oven Size
- Left hand oven capacity (litres - dm3) 73
- Left hand Oven Cleaning Liners
- Left hand oven catalytic Yes
- Left hand oven energy
- Left hand oven energy rating (A-G) A
- Left Hand Oven Door
- Left hand door solid door Yes
- Right Hand Oven Cleaning Liners
- Right hand oven cleaning liners catalytic Yes
- Right Hand Oven Size
- Right hand oven capacity (litres - dm3) 82
- Right Hand Oven Door
- Right hand oven plate rack Yes
- Right Hand Oven Door
- Right hand oven solid door Yes
- Right Hand Oven Default
- Right hand oven no of function 1
- Right hand oven type Fan
- Additional information
- Detachable plinth Yes
- Warranty (years) 2
The original Rangemaster range cooker, made in 1830, was a revelation and the new ranges still share this original dedication to quality, design and innovation. Since that very first pioneering product, Rangemaster have been leading the way in creative cooker technology and performance.
The company were the first to offer colour shaded cookers, the first to produce a dual fuel cooker and were responsible for the fold away grill, and in recent years they have won several 'Good Housekeeping' awards for their cookers. Today Rangemaster are renowned as Britain's top selling range cooker manufacturer, where they offer a wide range of styles, sizes, and colours to suit most people's tastes.
View Rangemaster ProductsPlease call us for our delivery and installation service on 01902 577060


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PWCC's Weekly Auction Ends Sunday! Obtenir le lien Facebook Twitter Pinterest E-mail Autres applications décembre 26, 2023 Not rendering correctly? View this email as a web page here. A Special Message from our Trusted Partner Active Interest Media2143 Grand Ave Des Moines, Iowa, 50312 United States You received this email because you are subscribed to Sports Collectors Digest Partners. Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive. Obtenir le lien Facebook Twitter Pinterest E-mail Autres applications Commentaires
This Is What Fish Oil Supplements Actually Do mai 20, 2019 For centuries , humans have used fish oils, orally or topically, to treat a wide array of ailments, from aches and pains to rickets and gout. The popularity of this supplement has shifted over the years, as have its primary uses. But over the past couple of decades, the hype around fish oil has arguably reached an all-time high. According to National Institutes of Health statistics , in 2012, at least 18.8 million Americans used about $1.3 billion dollars worth of fish oil, making it the third most widely used supplement in the nation. (Sales reportedly flattened out at about that level around 2013.) Today, many use it because they believe it will broadly help their heart health , but others hold that fish oil can help with renal health, bone, and joint conditions, cognitive functions and mental wellness, and any number of other conditions. But is fish oil really as good for you as millions of Americans believe it is? Who should be taking it and when? We dove into the research and Lire la suite
Chris Froome sends out strong message to his rivals as he storms back to win Criterium du Dauphine for the second time juin 14, 2015 British rider Chris Froome launched one of his blistering mountain attacks to win the Criterium du Dauphine race for the second time, clinching the eighth stage to take the yellow jersey. from Articles | Mail Online http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-3123660/Chris-Froome-sends-strong-message-rivals-storms-win-Criterium-du-Dauphine-second-time.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490 Lire la suite
'Game of Thrones' gave fans of Missandei and Grey Worm something to love tonight juillet 23, 2017 As wars got planned and men with greyscale got skinned alive, Game of Thrones Season 7 episode two also gave us some resolution to the show's best unrequited love. Unsullied leader Grey Worm and Daenerys' Secretary of State Missandei have been dancing around each other for seasons. First, it was just furtive eye glances and not-so-subtle conversations, then there was even some tear-stained cuddling last season. But tonight. Tonight, they got together. SEE ALSO: 10 'Game of Thrones' reality shows we need now And boy oh boy, the internet was into it. HE KISSED HER. YOU DID IT GREY WORM! #GameOfThrones pic.twitter.com/QqGqepwv3i — Nadira Colbert (@nadira_co) July 24, 2017 Read more... More about Game Of Thrones , Game Of Thrones Season 7 , Grey Worm , Missandei , and Culture from Mashable http://mashable.com/2017/07/23/game-of-thrones-grey-worm-missandei-reactions/?utm_campaign=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial&utm_cid=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-A Lire la suite


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The Feast of Christ the King is celebrated on the last Sunday before Advent, and this year it is November 23rd. It is an official Solemnity instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1952. According to his encyclical, it should be a time of remembering that a Christian's allegiance to God should come before all other loyalties, and thus serve to unite us in peace regardless of whatever personal, political, and sectarian issues might divide us. As I consider the meaning of this Feast, it very easily connects in my mind with the world into which Jesus would be born and the place that he would take in that world. Beyond that, it speaks to me of a common experience for those pursuing a mystical relationship with God.
The nation of Israel and the Jewish faith have a long history of desire for the coming of the Messiah, and especially in the form of a Divine King who will bring peace and harmony to all humanity. This theme runs throughout the story of Jesus and his disciples, some of whom were zealots and hoped he would lead them in a divinely sanctioned political solution to the plight of Israel. We Christians, and Muslims too, are heirs to this doctrine. In some accounts, Jesus seems to have promised he would fulfill it, even if only after his crucifixion and resurrection. It also appears that some of his followers continued to expect him to return and play that role after his ascension to heaven. Even now there are many Christians who consider that to be the prophetic promise of Revelations, just as there are many Jews who continue to wait for the Messiah King, and Muslims with similarly fervent beliefs. For just a moment, take some time to reflect on the many millions of Jews, Christians, and Muslims who have spent their lives hoping, praying, longing, and even pleading for God's presence to manifest in this world in such a tangible and dramatic way. How many of these people, how many generations of them, have staked their lives upon it, have gone to their graves and even sent others to their graves for it, and yet never saw their hopes and prayers fulfilled?! That history may be a powerful testimony of faith, and even beautiful in some ways, but are there not also profound threads of tragedy and sadness running through this legacy of our religions?
Interestingly, it can be argued that Jesus never meant to be taken literally about any of that, but that he was instead urging his followers to completely reenvision the Kingdom of God. Many of us regard Jesus as teaching us to seek a transformation in our hearts that then radiates God's love out into the world through our presence. We consider this to be closer to the life Jesus actually lived, and more worthy of our time and energy than begging for a Holy Dictator to come clean up our mess for us.
For now, I'd like to note that many people who consider themselve mystics, or perhaps aspire to be mystics, have a parallel notion in their minds and desire in their hearts. When we read the accounts of some of the great Christian mystics, it can be easy to expect that the coming of God's presence will be a dramatic experience that overthrows all our doubts and sense of separateness from God. We hope for an event in which Jesus descends from the heavens to fill us with a fantastic flood of light, life, and love. We dream of a personal Apocalypse in which the Messiah delivers us from the mess of our own personal humanity. And why shouldn't we want something like that, especially when some of those who have claimed it happened to them also claim that we can have it too?
But, just as there is a parallel between our desires for a political Messiah and our desires for a personal revelation of mystical union with God, perhaps there is also a parallel with the fact that Jesus didn't come back as a Messiah King during the lives of his immediate disciples, or during the lives of the following generation, or the one after that, and so on for generation after generation through the present day. Perhaps, just as we can come to a new and more fruitful understanding of what Jesus meant by the coming of the Kingdom, the parallel is coming to a new and more fruitful understanding of mystical revelation that doesn't depend upon an extraordinary experience.
What might that new and more fruitful understanding be? I think there were some well known scriptural answers to that question even before Jesus. Consider first the story of Elijah:
Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord." And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
So, unlike the dramatic way in which Moses encountered the immediate presence of God, Elijah's experience of direct communication was only "a still small voice."
Likewise, in Psalms 46:10, in the middle of many dramatic verses about God's power in the world and praising and exalting God, there is this one small statement about actually knowing God:
Be still, and know that I am God
These scriptures that Jesus and many of his twelve would have known, urge us to realize that knowing God's presence isn't always a sudden and dramatic event. An experience of God may be very quiet and gentle, and perhaps so much so that we might not even recognize it for what it is.
And then there is the prayer that Jesus spoke for his followers as recorded in the Gospel of John, chapter 17. In that prayer he expresses his desire that his followers and their followers will come to know their oneness with God just as Jesus does, which is certainly one of the most mystical things in the Bible. He finishes that prayer with these words:
And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved me may be in them, and I in them.
That statement highlights love as the revelation of our union with God, and it is echoed in 1 John, chapter 4:
If we love one another, God dwells in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby we know that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he has given us his Spirit. … And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him.
There are many important things that could be drawn out of these words, but for now it is especially noteworthy that the love that is God is not something highly unusual that only comes to a specially blessed mystic. It is the love we have for one another!
O Holy One Who is Love itself, help us to be aware of Your mystical presence in our ordinary lives. Let us know You are with us through the love that we receive from others and that we give to others. As we encounter every smile on the faces of others and on our own faces, every kind word spoken by others and by us, every gentle touch given by others and by us, as we experience every simple act and expression of human love, let us realize it as an immediate manifestation of Your love, a ray of Your light that stretches directly back to the Source, the very Heart of Divine Love. May we know Love as the great King of our lives. Amen.


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The AI chip startup explosion is already here
All eyes may have been on Nvidia this year as its stock exploded higher thanks to an enormous amount of demand across all fronts: gaming, an increased interest in data centers, and its major potential applications in AI.
But while Nvidia's stock price and that chart may have been one of the more eye-popping parts of 2017, a year when AI continued its march toward being omnipresent in technology, something a little more subtle was happening in the AI world that may have even deeper ramifications.
This year, an array of startups that are all working on their own variations of hardware that will power future devices built on top of AI received enormous amounts of funding. Some of these startups have nowhere near a massive install base (or have yet to ship a product) but already appear to have no trouble raising financing.
Looking to optimize inference and machine training — two key parts of processes like image and speech recognition — startups have sought to find ways to pick away at these processes in ways that will make them faster, more power-efficient, and generally better suited for the next generation of artificial intelligence-powered devices. Instead of the traditional computational architecture we've become accustomed to with CPUs, the GPU has become one of the go-to pieces of silicon for processing the rapid-fire calculations required for AI processes. And these startups think they can do that even better.
Before we get to the class of startups, let's quickly review the aforementioned Nvidia chart, just to get a sense of the scale of what's happening here. Even with the blip at the end of the year, shares of Nvidia are up nearly 80 percent heading into 2018:
So, naturally, we'd probably see a whole class of startups that are looking to pick away at Nvidia's potential vulnerabilities in the AI market. Investors, too, would also take notice of this.
We first broke the news that Cerebras Systems had picked up funding from Benchmark Capital in December last year when it raised around $25 million. At the time, it seemed like the AI chip industry was not quite as obvious as it was today — though, as the year went on, Nvidia's dominance of the GPU market was a clear indicator that this would be a booming space. Then Forbes reported in August this year that the company was valued at nearly $900 million. Obviously, there was something here.
Graphcore, too, made some noise this year. It announced a new $50 million financing round in November this year led by Sequoia Capital, shortly after a $30 million financing round in July led by Atomico. Graphcore still, like Cerebras Systems, doesn't have a splashy product on the market yet like Nvidia. And yet this startup was able to raise $80 million in a year, though hardware startups face many more challenges than ones built on the back of software.
There's also been a flurry of funding for Chinese AI startups: Alibaba poured financing into a startup called Cambricon Technology, which is reportedly valued at $1 billion; Intel Capital led a $100 million investment in Horizon Robotics; and a startup called ThinkForce raised $68 million earlier this month.
That's to say nothing of Groq, a startup run by former Google engineers that raised around $10 million from Social+Capital, which seems small in the scope of some of the startups listed above. Mythic, yet another chip maker, has raised $9.3 million in financing.
So we can see not just one or two but seven startups gunning for similar areas of this space, many of which have raised tens of millions of dollars, with at least one startup's valuation creeping near $900 million. Again, these are hardware startups, and it is next-generation hardware, which may require a lot more financing. But this is still a space that cannot be ignored at all.
Moving beyond the startups, the biggest companies in the world are also looking to create their own systems. Google announced its next-generation TPU in May earlier this year geared toward inference and machine training. Apple designed its own GPU for its next-generation iPhone. Both of these will go a long way toward trying to tune the hardware for their specific needs, such as Google Cloud applications or Siri. Intel also said in October it would ship its new Nervana Nueral Network Processor by the end of 2017. Intel bought Nervana for a reported $350 million in August last year.
All of these represent massive undertakings by both the startups and the larger companies, each looking for their own interpretation of a GPU. But unseating Nvidia, which has begun the process of locking in developers onto its platform (called Cuda), may be an even more difficult task. That's going to be doubly true for startups that are trying to press their hardware into the wild and get developers on board.
When you talk to investors in Silicon Valley, you'll still find some skepticism. Why, for example, would companies look to buy faster chips for their training when older cards in an Amazon server may be just as good for their training? And yet there is still an enormous amount of money flowing into this area. And it's coming from firms that are the same ones that bet big on Uber (though there's quite a bit of turbulence there) and WhatsApp.
Nvidia is still a clear leader in this area and will look to continue its dominance as devices like autonomous cars become more and more relevant. But as we go into 2018, we'll likely start to get a better sense as to whether these startups actually have an opportunity to unseat Nvidia. There's the tantalizing opportunity of creating faster, lower-power chips that can go into internet-of-things thingies and truly fulfill the promise of those devices with more efficient inference. And there's the opportunity of making those servers faster and more power-efficient when they look to train models — like ones that tell your car what a squirrel looks like — may also turn out to be something truly massive.
Featured Image: Vasin Lee/Shutterstock
Published at Sun, 24 Dec 2017 17:00:55 +0000


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Botany department faculty are actively engaged in research
Students, faculty and real-world research are all thriving in the new Science Center at New London Hall, opened in Fall 2013.
- Professor Siver has projects on biogeography of algae and diatoms. He was awarded a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (#0716606) to for his project to document the effects of global warming on an arctic Eocene lake using siliceous microfossil remains.
- Professor Owen completed a second National Science Foundation grant for $330,000 to purchase a new digital transmission electron microscope for research on plant endomembrane system flow. These projects use carnivorous plants and plant stem cells as model systems. He will also use the TEM to help other faculty with ultrastructural research projects.
- Professor Lizarralde led a group of students in ethnobotanical research in Peru on a SATA program.
- Professor Jones is conducting projects on invasive plants and their effects on local plant communities.
- Professor Spicer was awarded by The National Science Foundation a three-year, $395,064 grant for research that addresses fundamental questions about how trees grow. The work has practical applications for biofuel development and forest generation.
Botany faculty also work closely with students in honors and independent study projects in botany, biology and environmental studies.


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Watch Snob on Tissot Watches
The Watch Snob On True Luxury
Tissot Watches
Dear Snob,
I have become obsessed with the new Tissot Luxury Automatic with the ETA C07.111 (the chronometer version of course). My simple question is if you consider this a respectable timepiece in spite of being Swatch and in the £1,000 range?
Let's get the obvious out of the way first. If you have to call yourself "luxury," you're probably not. And this is not a luxury timepiece, no matter which way you look at it. The saving grace is that the word doesn't appear anywhere on the watch or I would have immediately relegated it to the dustbin outright.
Secondly, I hate to burst anyone's bubble (on second thought, that seems to be my raison d'être), but achieving chronometer certification is not that difficult anymore. Maybe in the days of hand tooling and pressed brass bushings, but with modern manufacturing methods and tight tolerances and near-perfect jewels and oils, getting a watch to run within a minus-4- to plus-6-second error rate ain't what it used to be. That's why you don't see most of the top manufactures bothering to submit their calibres to COSC. "Chronometer" is one of those words, like "sapphire," that used to mean something but now is trotted out for the easily impressed mall shoppers.
An 80-hour power reserve is a fine achievement, but, really, this is a thousand-dollar watch, so it's doubtful anyone will buy it to rotate with a collection of fine timepieces and will be wearing it every day anyway, which will keep it wound up.
Is it a "respectable timepiece?" Yes, I'll give Tissot some respect for at least going beyond the lazy stamped rotor found on most of its watches these days. In fact, maybe instead of calling it the "Luxury Automatic," Tissot should call it the "Respectable Automatic."
Internet Hatred
Dear Snob,
I recently replied to a post in a big Rolex forum where someone asked about discounts when purchasing new from dealers. I replied with my experience buying a JLC. I gave my "tips" on how to possibly negotiate best, at least the things that worked for me, and I offered these as free advice, to help people if I could. I didn't say "Rolex is crap" or that I'm better than anyone else, just my experience. But once I mentioned I was able to get a discount higher than 15%, I found myself defending attack after attack!
It's as if part of the Rolex experience is paying a lot for the watch, or that the higher the price tag the better, as if getting a good discount somehow devalues the brand and everyone in the Rolex forum had shares in Rolex. Seriously, what gives with Rolex owners and this attitude? I certainly didn't find this from the JLC or the Patek (etc.) crowd...
It's not a Rolex thing. It's a web forum thing. Let's face it: People who render strong opinions on most online forums are doing it because no one will listen to them out in the real world, the anonymity breeding boldness. Also, it's no coincidence that you found this vitriol on a Rolex forum since the company's watches seems to attract a disproportionate number of insecure little people trying to raise their stature through a brand name. Put those people on a web forum, and it's a perfect storm of insecurity, anonymity and unchecked egos. Don't take it personally. Trust me on this.
Question from a Watch Knob
I know you're not the biggest fan of Breitling, but you have to admit the new Emergency is an incredible feat of engineering. If you were trapped on a desert island, you wouldn't be bad mouthing its quartz movement or its large case. You'd be using the antenna to save your damn life!
Given that the chances are so remote that I would find myself trapped on a desert island, I am willing to take a risk of not having that overpriced, oversize monstrosity anywhere close to me. And if that scenario comes to pass, I will happily while away my time winding my Lange 1 Time Zone and signaling to passing ships while I work on my tan.
Men's Watches
expensive watches
Affordable Watches
Watch Snob
Watch Brands


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Story highlights
Three News of the World journalists plead guilty to phone hacking in trial in London
Neville Thurlbeck, James Weatherup and Greg Miskiw plead guilty, report British media
Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson are accused of conspiring to hack voice mails
They both formerly edited the now-defunct News of the World newspaper
Three former journalists at Rupert Murdoch's defunct British tabloid News of the World have pleaded guilty to phone hacking, British media reported Wednesday, citing the prosecution in the case.
The three who pleaded guilty are Neville Thurlbeck, James Weatherup and Greg Miskiw.
They were among a group of people who went on trial this week in the much-anticipated case.
The highest profile defendants are Rebekah Brooks, a protégé of global media baron Murdoch, and Andy Coulson, a former spin doctor for British Prime Minister David Cameron – both former editors of News of the World.
It is not clear how the guilty pleas from the three journalists will affect the cases against their former bosses.
The phone-hacking accusations have reverberated through the top levels of British politics and journalism and prompted a parliamentary committee to issue damning criticism of Rupert Murdoch, whose News Corp. owned News of the World through its UK subsidiary, News International.
Phone hacking scandal: Fast facts
After the scandal, Murdoch stepped down from a string of company directorships and abandoned a multibillion-dollar bid to acquire satellite broadcaster BSkyB.
Suspected hacking victims include some of the world's biggest celebrities, including Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Jude Law, Paul McCartney and soccer star Wayne Rooney, as well as victims of crime and the July 7, 2005, London terrorist attacks.
Brooks and Coulson were close to British Prime Minister David Cameron. Coulson, who edited the News of the World from 2003 to 2007, went on to become Cameron's director of communications before resigning early in 2011. Brooks was a friend of the prime minister and his wife.
Brooks, formerly chief executive of News of the World's parent company, News International, part of Murdoch's News Corp. empire, also faces a charge of perverting the course of justice.
But the most explosive charge against her is plotting in 2002 to eavesdrop illegally on the voice mail of missing British schoolgirl Milly Dowler, who was later found murdered.
Public anger after the revelation in 2011 that the missing girl's phone had been hacked forced Murdoch to close News of the World, which Brooks edited at the time of the hacking. She then became editor of The Sun newspaper before taking up the chief executive role.
Murdoch's News International announces new name
Brooks, Coulson and fellow former News of the World employees Stuart Kuttner, Greg Miskiw, Ian Edmondson, Neville Thurlbeck and James Weatherup are accused of conspiring between October 3, 2000, and August 9, 2006, "to intercept communications in the course of their transmission, without lawful authority."
Specifically, the charge asserts that they listened to "voice mail messages of well-known people."
Brooks, Coulson, Kuttner, Miskiw, Thurlbeck and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire face an additional charge of intercepting Dowler's messages.
Brooks, her husband Charlie Brooks and a former personal assistant also face a separate set of charges of conspiring to obstruct the police investigation into phone hacking. They were charged in May 2012, along with Brooks' former driver, a security guard and members of News International security staff, with attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The hacking scandal prompted Cameron to set up an independent inquiry, led by Lord Justice Leveson, to make recommendations on journalistic ethics and examine the relationship of the press with the public, police and politicians.
UK newspapers fail to block royal charter on press regulation
CNN's Richard Allen Greene and Lindsay Isaac contributed to this report.


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Can a Smartphone App Keep You STD Free?
If you want to avoid the itch, the drip and the burn that can come from a wild night of frivolous, no-latex sex, you might want to consider bumping phones before you bump uglies. That's because now there is a new smartphone app that lets you share your STD status with potential partners to help prevent you from screwing yourself all the way to the sick pecker clinic.
"If you happen to be out at a bar or a fraternity house or wherever, and you meet someone, you can then bump phones and exchange contact information and STD status," said Dr. Michael Nusbaum, the creator of MedXSafe.
This new sexually active technology allows people to have their physicians detail their STD-negative status on the app so that they can freely share it with all the people they want to bone. People can also share their STD-positive status, but nothing says you're going home alone tonight quite like a confirmed case of herpes or gonorrhea.
Dr. Nasbaum says the app was created to encourage people to get tested regularly for sexually transmitted diseases, as there are 19 million new STDs reported each year in people under the age of 25.
If you try the app, and the person ends up having some type of STD, we recommend wiping down the phone as well.


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Update your smartphone with a one of a kind handmade case! Made with naturally iridescent Mother of Pearl, this case combines luxury and everyday utility in one stylish accessory.
Choose from a selection of original abstract and nature-inspired designs or place a custom order! You can personalize your new Mother of Pearl phone case with your company logo or your own custom design. Get started right now, and message me with your custom pattern ideas! First, I will create a digital preview of your design and following your approval I will make your very own custom phone case to order.
This case is made for iPhone 7, 7+, 8, 8+, X, XS, XS MAX, XR and Samsung S9 Note, S9 Note 9+, iPhone 11 phone case. There are cases for older models of phones, please contact the manager.
My designs are always handcrafted from quality materials. I use a plastic shell case with rubberized edges as a base and natural Abalone shells and wood for the designs.
All cases offer reliable protection from falls and scratches and a lightweight modern design. Mother of Pearl inlay is protected with a scratch-resistant liquid glass topcoat.
All items are made to order. I can repeat any design you see listed in my store. Listed designs are ready to ship in 3 days. Custom designs are ready to ship in 3-5 days.
- Dispatch: Within 24 Hours
- Free shipping across all products on a minimum purchase of $50.
- International delivery time - 7-10 business days
- Cash on delivery might be available
- Easy 30 days returns and exchanges
If you do not like the product you can return it within 15 days - no questions asked. This excludes bodysuits, swimwear and clearance sale items. We have an easy and hassle free return policy. Please look at our Delivery & Returns section for further information.


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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Quietly, the Obama administration is systematically putting into place a two-ocean globalist plan that will dwarf all prior trade agreements, including NAFTA, with the goal of establishing the global sovereignty envisioned by New World Order enthusiasts.
The two agreements are the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TIPP.
WND has learned the Obama administration plans to jam the TPP through Congress no later than Dec. 31.
Plans to implement the Trans-Atlantic agreement have now begun in tandem with the implementation the Trans-Pacific agreement that has been in place for almost two years.
TRENDING: 16 attorneys general order YouTube to remove 'misleading' notice on abortion videos
The Obama administration calculates that passage of the TIPP will be reduced to a rubber-stamp decision once Congress has already passed the TPP.
Largely unreported by establishment media, the 17th round of Trans-Pacific or TPP negotiations is taking place in Lima, Peru, May 15-24, as revealed on the official government website of the U.S. Trade Representative, a division of the Executive Office of the President.
The website of the U.S. Trade Representative also announces Obama's decision to launch the Transatlantic or TIPP negotiations, derived from a detailed exploratory process that began at the November 2011 U.S.-EU Summit, a development that also took place with little noticed by establishment media.
Since 2007, as WND has reported, globalists controlling free-trade policy within the U.S. government have been planning to achieve European Union and United States political integration, beginning with the TIPP free-trade agreement.
As WND reported in 2007, President George W. Bush, at a summit meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President of the EU Commission Manuel Barroso, signed an agreement in Washington creating "a permanent body" that committed the U.S. to "deeper transatlantic economic integration."
The "Transatlantic Economic Integration" agreement put in place the Transatlantic Economic Council to be chaired in the U.S. by a Cabinet-level officer in the White House and on the EU side by a member of the European Commission.
A brave new world of trade
As WND previously reported, Obama announced in his 2013 State of the Union address the addition of the trans-Atlantic free-trade agreement to the agenda already in place to create the counterpart trans-Atlantic free-trade agreement:
To boost American exports, support American jobs and level the playing field in the growing markets of Asia, we intend to complete negotiations on a Trans-Pacific Partnership. And tonight, I'm announcing that we will launch talks on a comprehensive Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union – because trade that is fair and free across the Atlantic supports millions of good-paying American jobs. (Applause.)
The promise of creating new jobs drew congressional applause despite legitimate concerns that previous trade agreements, including NAFTA and U.S. participation in the World Trade Organization, have resulted in the loss of millions of high-salary U.S. jobs overseas to nations with less expensive markets.
The globalists advising the Obama administration appear to have learned from the adverse public reaction to the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, or SPP, to avoid leader summit meetings so that the international "working group" coordination needed to create these international free-trade agreements is kept away from a critical alternative news media.
The Obama administration has shut down the Security and Prosperity Partnership website, SPP.gov. The last joint statement issued by the newly formed North American Leaders Summit, operating as the rebranded SPP, was issued April 2, 2012, at the conclusion of the last tri-lateral head-of-state meeting between the U.S., Mexico and Canada, held in Washington, D.C.
It was the sixth North American leaders summit. The previous meetings were: Waco, Texas (2005), where the SPP was first announced; Cancun (2006); Montebello, Canada (2007); New Orleans (2008); and Guadalajara (2009).
WND has previously reported the North American integration planned first under the SPP and now under the rubric of the North American Leaders Summit follows a plan initially developed by the Council on Foreign Relations, openly expressed in the May 2005 CFR report "Building a North American Community."
Fast track
WND has previously reported the Obama administration plans to jam the Trans-Pacific Partnership through Congress by pursuing "fast track authority" that would restrict congressional prerogatives to an up-or-down vote, with the intention of pushing TPP through Congress by the end of this year.
Fast-track authority, a provision under the Trade Promotion Authority, requires Congress to review an FTA under limited debate, in an accelerated time frame subject to a yes-or-no vote.
Under fast-track authority, there is no provision for Congress to modify the agreement by submitting amendments. Fast-track authority also treats the FTA as if it were trade legislation being negotiated by the executive branch. The purpose is to assure foreign partners that the FTA, once signed, will not be changed during the legislative process.
A report released Jan. 24 by the Congressional Research Service, titled "The Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Issues for Congress," makes clear the Obama administration does not have fast-track authority to negotiate the TPP, even though the office of the U.S. Trade Representative is acting as if fact-track authority is in effect.
The present negotiations are not being conducted under the auspices of formal trade promotion authority, or TPA, according to the CRS report. The latest TPA expired July 1, 2007. The administration, however, is informally following the procedures of the former TPA. If TPP implementing legislation is brought to Congress, TPA may need to be considered if the legislation is not to be subject to potentially debilitating amendments or rejection, the report says.
A graphic of the reach of the Trans-Pacific agreement presented in the CRS report on the first page shows the reach of the agreement across the Pacific Ocean, including Peru and Chile in South America; Australia and New Zealand; Malaysia, as well as Vietnam in Southeast Asia; Singapore; and Japan.
The North American detail of the graphic, right, shows trade from Canada is shown extending down into roughly Oklahoma in the U.S. and trade from Mexico extending north into the U.S., roughly to Colorado.
According to the CRS report, Obama formally notified Congress of his administration's decision to enter into negotiations with the TPP countries on Dec. 14, 2009. The notification set off a 90-day timeline under the now-expired 2002 trade promotion authority legislation for congressional consultations prior to the beginning of negotiations.
There is nothing on the public record to indicate Congress objected in any way to the Obama administration proceeding with the Bush administration plan to finalize TPP negotiations.


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Manufacturers' focus: Designing K-12 schools
Engineering work on K-12 schools is complex. Here are insights from manufacturers who provide products, equipment, and solutions.
- Scott Laurila, Product Manager, Greenheck Fan Corp., Schofield, Wis.
- Rodger Reiswig, Director of Industry Relations, SimplexGrinnell, Orlando, Fla.
CSE: What trends are you seeing in K-12 schools?
Scott Laurila, Greenheck: Engineers and designers are shifting more ventilation system designs from variable volume rooftop systems to dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS). By decoupling sensible and latent loads, a DOAS can accurately control both humidity and temperature in an energy-efficient manner at both full- and part-load conditions. Also, with rising energy costs, tighter construction and operating budgets, and growing requirements in energy standards such as ASHRAE 90.1-2010, air-to-air energy recovery ventilation is becoming a necessity in school designs.
Rodger Reiswig, SimplexGrinnell: K-12 school applications for intercom, telephone, Internet protocol (IP) communications, etc., have merged into either a single system or multiple systems sharing a backbone or IP highway. This has allowed for K-12 applications to use, for example, an IP speaker that can provide for class-change tones and announcements and convey mass notification and other life safety instructions and information.
CSE: What's the most important advice you could offer an engineer considering your product for a K-12 school project?
SimplexGrinnell: The concept of merging or integrating the general intercom and alerting systems into a single platform is growing. Consideration needs to be given regarding how the system will be used or how one anticipates the system may be used during an emergency. It's important to understand that the application of technology is only part of the final solution. How the equipment will be used during either daily normal events or emergency situations becomes a key point during design. To help the industry with this, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has published SB 40-2008 Communications Systems for Life Safety in Schools. This guide covers the application, installation, location, performance, and maintenance of school communications systems and their components. It establishes guidelines for levels of performance, extent of redundancy, and quality of installation.
Greenheck: It's important to take advantage of the heating and cooling reduction associated with air-to-air energy recovery. Oversizing cooling and heating systems not only adds to first cost, but also is a detriment to system performance and control. Additionally, energy codes such as the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code do not allow oversizing equipment when energy recovery is applied.
CSE: What factors do engineers on such projects sometimes overlook?
SimplexGrinnell: Periodically designers of systems only view how the system will be used during routine announcements and daily activities. What sometimes gets overlooked is the fact that these systems will be relied upon to disseminate information and become incorporated into the Emergency Response Plan of a facility. The NFPA has just released its latest edition of NFPA 72: National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code. Within the 2013 edition of NFPA 72, there is great information to help a designer apply not just technology, but also how the technology should be used efficiently and how it might integrate with the fire alarm system. Chapter 24 of the NFPA 72 document contains information on performing a "risk analysis," assisting with the creation of an "emergency response plan," and using both to create a total solution for the K-12 environment. By using both the NEMA SB 40 and NFPA 72-2013 documents, a designer can gain a good understanding of how to create a total concept solution using technologies as well as understanding how a system will be used.
Greenheck: System-level control is always an important consideration for a design engineer, but manufacturers have made significant advancements in unitary controls. Understanding how a manufacturer's tested and proven control sequences can fit into system level design provides owners and end users with the most reliable outcome.
CSE: Regarding automation and controls, system integration in K-12 schools is becoming more prevalent. How is your company/product meeting this need?
Greenheck: Engineers, controls contractors, mechanical contractors, and manufacturers all have a stake in providing robust controls systems, so the coordination of controls and system integration is always a challenge due to the number of parties involved. As a manufacturer, it is very important to offer engineers configurable, pre-engineered control solutions that minimize the time to project completion. On unitary direct digital control (DDC) platforms, incorporating features like LCD interfaces and open protocols facilitates start-up, integration, and commissioning.
CSE: How does your technology help engineers make their clients' K-12 school structures more energy efficient?
Greenheck: In ventilation systems, there's no better way of reducing energy consumption than by incorporating air-to-air energy recovery. Energy recovery reduces energy consumption and operating costs by capturing cooling and heating energy before it leaves the HVAC system. In applications such as a DOAS, the size of the cooling and heating system in the outdoor air equipment can be reduced by 50%, which saves considerably on operating costs as well as system first costs. Energy recovery can also be applied in VAV units or operate as a stand-alone pre-conditioner, which gives engineers the opportunity to incorporate an efficient technology regardless of system design preference.
CSE: What HVAC challenge (humidification, indoor air quality, building envelope, etc.) comes to the forefront most frequently when you're supporting engineers working in K-12 schools? How do you help overcome these issues/answer their questions?
Greenheck: Controlling humidity in the cooling season at both full- and part-load conditions is at the forefront of most engineers' minds in K-12 projects. Air-to-air energy recovery is a great way to control humidity as it preconditions and dehumidifies the air entering cooling coils. In air-cooled systems, incorporating variable capacity compressors and modulating hot gas reheat improve supply air dew points and improve space comfort. Finally, the ability to reset target supply air dew points through unitary controls can provide further assurance that the outdoor air equipment will perform as ambient conditions vary.
CSE: What new mass notification or emergency communication system has been the most successful? Describe a recent project.
SimplexGrinnell: When it comes to emergency communications, K-12 schools face complex challenges, yet one thing is clear: In today's world, no one technology can provide a complete solution. The best approach is to deploy multiple layers of technology to disseminate critical information to the people and audiences who need to be reached in an emergency. A multi-technology approach to emergency communications can combine voice communications, visual messaging, and wireless personal notification capabilities into an integrated solution that provides the means to effectively communicate with all constituencies during an emergency. Interior voice systems driven by today's advanced fire alarm networks, and possessing built-in survivability, can instantly broadcast live or recorded messages throughout any institutional setting. A universal message, or an individual message tailored to a specific area, building, floor, or room, can be delivered through such a voice-enabled fire alarm system. It can provide immediate communications that can also be modified to match changing emergency conditions. A voice-enabled fire alarm system can be supplemented by large outdoor speaker systems capable of broadcasting real-time warnings and instructions to exterior gathering spots, off-site buildings, and satellite properties.
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Introduction to the Ionosphere
The ionosphere is that part of the upper atmosphere where free electrons occur in sufficient density to have an appreciable influence on the propagation of radio frequency electromagnetic waves. This ionization depends primarily on the Sun and its activity. ionospheric structures and peak densities in the ionosphere vary greatly with time (sunspot cycle, seasonally, and diurnally), with geographical location (polar, auroral zones, mid-latitudes, and equatorial regions), and with certain solar-related ionospheric disturbances. The major part of the ionization is produced by solar X-ray and ultraviolet radiation and by corpuscular radiation from the Sun. The most noticeable effect is seen as the Earth rotates with respect to the Sun; ionization increases in the sunlit atmosphere and decreases on the shadowed side. Although the Sun is the largest contributor toward the ionization, cosmic rays make a small contribution. Any atmospheric disturbance affects the distribution of the ionization. The ionosphere is a dynamic system controlled by many parameters including acoustic motions of the atmosphere, electromagnetic emissions, and variations in the geomagnetic field. Because of its extreme sensitivity to atmospheric changes, the ionosphere is a very sensitive monitor of atmospheric events. In some circles it is thought that there is persuasive evidence of an ionospheric precursor to large earthquakes that can be used a predictor. Besides the obvious acoustic waves generated before and during an earthquake, a part of the preparation process of large earthquakes is the generation of electromagnetic emissions (EMEs). These EMEs have been detected in the ionosphere up to six days prior to a large earthquake, such as with the May 1960, Chilean 8.3 earthquake. The most accurate way of measuring the ionosphere is with a ground-based ionosonde, which records data as ionograms. |


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Solid Waste Charge
Charges effective July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024
Solid Waste Charge Overview Spreadsheet
Chapter 48, Section 43(d) of the Montgomery County Code states that "the solid waste fund must be maintained and managed so that revenues equal expenses…"
The expenditures of the solid waste fund are delineated annually in the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) Budget and the Operating Budget.
The primary sources of revenue into the solid waste fund are service charges assessed to entities that benefit from the solid waste management system. These charges are structured so as to bear an equitable relation to the County's costs of providing different types of solid waste services.
Who receives the Solid Waste Charge bill?
Property owners receive the Solid Waste Charge bill.
The County does not bill renters of real property.
What's My Charge?
How is the Solid Waste Charge calculated?
There are five charges:
Disposal Fees are charged either to the refuse collector or the homeowner, but not both.
Collectors are charged the Disposal Fee in the form of a per-ton "Tipping Fee" at the Shady Grove Transfer Station based on the tonnage of solid waste delivered for disposal.
Refuse received from collectors serving single-family households outside municipalities, is exempted the tipping fee. Instead, the owners of such residences pre-pay a per-household Disposal Fee that approximates what their collector would pay if that refuse were not so exempted. The County's tipping fee is market-based in relation to tipping fees in nearby jurisdictions, and helps assure that Montgomery County does not receive waste from outside the County.
Base Systems Benefit Charges are assessed to the owners of each "improved" property in the County (e.g. occupancy permitted residences and non-residential improvement with assessed value > $5,000). Together with Tipping and Disposal Fees, revenue from Base System Benefit charges must cover the costs of developing and maintaining the basic programs and facilities necessary to fulfill the County's obligation to manage all solid waste generated within the County. These charges provide for:
overall solid waste program administration (including solid waste enforcement activities, Dickerson Facilities Master Plan and general program development, the Division management personnel, and general engineering/technical support, etc.)
waste reduction programs
debt service
the cost of all solid waste disposal programs and facilities
Incremental Systems Benefit Charges are assessed to each generating sector for services not equally available or provided to all sectors equally. For example, the County's curbside recycling collection is provided only to single-family homes outside municipal areas; only homes which receive the service are charged to cover its cost. Multi-family and non-residential sectors are charged for recycling outreach and other activities oriented to those waste generating sectors.
Refuse Collection Charges are assessed to households in the Collection District that receive refuse collection by County-contracted collectors. These are single-family households or dwellings in buildings comprised of six or fewer dwelling units located in the District. This District is primarily located in the southern part of the County. Municipalities are not included.
Leaf Vacuuming Charges are assessed to owners of residences in the Leaf Vacuuming Collection District to cover the cost of specific leaf vacuuming services provided in the Fall by the Department of Transportation.
For the purposes of estimating waste generation, and establishing the Base and Incremental System Benefit Charges, the County distinguishes two classes of residential dwellings:
- those in buildings comprised of one to six dwellings ("single-family"), and
- those in buildings comprised of seven or more dwelling units ("multi-family").
Townhouses are considered single-family dwellings, regardless of the number in a contiguous group.
The term "condominium" refers to the nature of ownership of real property, and has no bearing on the determination of Solid Waste Charges.
The County does not bill renters of real property; property owners receive the bill.


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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
No. Precast concrete two-compartment septic tanks are required. In certain cases where access is an issue exceptions may be permitted.
Show All Answers
Compete the online form which will the required paperwork. The septic engineer will then review the documentation and approve or deny with or without restrictions. Once the permit has been approved, you or your designated agent will be contacted for pickup.
Perhaps, when adequate local soils information is available within department files, profile holes and percolation tests may not be required. If adequate information is not available or a site visit indicates unusual conditions, a profile hole and/or percolation tests may be required.
Each application will be evaluated on a case by case basis. Profile holes will be required in nearly all cases to verify soil conditions.
Yes. The current policy is that no new systems can be installed during the winter season, which is defined as November 15 through April 15. This is due to frozen ground conditions and installation complications.
The exception to this seasonal restriction is the repair of existing systems in occupied structures. Some seasonal flexibility at the start and end to the restricted period is dependent an actual site specific ground conditions.
Yes. A small wastewater system permit can be processed using assumed "worst case" groundwater levels or percolation rates, based on the best available information. At any time prior to the installation of the system, the applicant may perform groundwater monitoring during the high ground water period and/or perform percolation test, and provide this information to the department requesting a revised system design.


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GlobWetland: ESAC Chair Hartmut Graßl talks about the role of space technology in wetland conservation | |
2006-11-08 | |
Prof Hartmut Graßl, former director of the "Physics of the Atmosphere" division at the Max-Planck-Institute for Meteorology in Hamburg is Chair for ESA's Earth Science Advisory Committee (ESAC) since 2003. | |
He has also served as the director of the Geneva-based World Climate Research Programme from 1994 to 1999 and participated in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change from 1988 to 1994.
In your opinion, what is the right political framework in Europe and worldwide to address issues such as GlobWetland? Monitoring the status of wetlands needs urgent action as a large part of biodiversity loss is due to degradation of wetlands, and without proper monitoring no effective action to halt degradation will be possible. It is a shame that no global wetland monitoring exists 35 years after the Ramsar Convention has been signed. This failure is due to the neglect of satellite observations, to slow political action and the absence of internationally co-ordinated national service responsible for the wetlands and to the absence of an inter-governmental body assessing the knowledge on wetlands (as exists for climate change in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) which would form the basis of decisions of Conferences of the Parties (COPs) to the Ramsar Convention. Thanks to ESA's support for GlobWetland and its data dissemination, the situation of monitoring single, several or nation-wide wetlands has recently improved rapidly, but the national infrastructure to digest the information is typically weak. Is there a need for correct satellite instruments to answer the needs of issues such as wetland monitoring? No one could claim that wetland monitoring would need much better sensors so that it could be done correctly. The monitoring could be done right now, especially if using the all-weather capability of the synthetic aperture radars on ERS-1/2, Envisat and Radarsat 1 jointly with many available high spatial resolution optical sensors from several space agencies. As ESAC Chair, what does the interaction between EO experts and wetland experts, for instance, mean in terms of tackling issues? Wetland monitoring and restoration needs this interaction as only the combination of in situ and remote sensing data by scientists from research centres or universities will enable national authorities to take effective measures. At present, EO experts and wetland experts learn to co-operate, but the value of this co-operation is not yet seen by many national services. Is there an opportunity for ESA to take the lead in promoting the use of EO for focused environmental communities? ESA has taken the lead with GlobWetland and should continue to do so. But the European Commission has, as well, the task to launch at least a European-wide activity in its 7th Framework programme, best via a joint ESA-EC announcement of opportunity. Finally, I would like to ask the Ramsar Convention secretariat to point to the threat for all mankind caused by the strong biodiversity loss often due to shrinking wetlands and to establish stronger ties to the globally co-ordinated research programmes. In order to show that action helps, the few success stories that exist in some countries should be highlighted. |
Related links
Annex images


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The living room was designed by: Beth Webb. It was incredible but I only managed to snag this picture. Not sure why?
The Gentleman's Study by: Tammy Connor
So rich and warm.
All I had was my iPhone....the walls in the DR.
Designed by: James Howard
Tried to get a good picture of the chandelier....it was to die.
I'll take these chairs.
The Breakfast room by: Gretchen Edwards
Gorgeous plates.
How pretty!
This was the best picture I could get of the kitchen.....without anyone around. It was gorgeous.
Designed by: Lyndsy Woods.
Beautiful place setting.
And the stockings were hung.....
Love the colors of the family room.
Designed by: Liz Williams.
Oh....and that KW fabric on the chairs.....yes.
Love the settee against the window.
The mud room by: James Farmer with Maggie Griffin.
Upstairs hallway
Loving the nursery by: Michel Boyd
Believe it or not there was a crib......
The Young Boy's Bedroom by: Barbara Heath
The master bedroom by: Amy D. Morris
This color was gorgeous....BM Hidden Fall 714
This room was a small library but there were so many people I could not get a good shot.
*****Here is a link to some pictures from Holly over at Things That Inspire *****